Holder for disk-type phonograph records



Patented Aug. 10, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT vorrlcr;

HOLDER FOR DISK-TYPE. PHONOGRA'LPH RECORDS 12 claims'. l

The present invention relates to improvements in holders for phonograph records and relates more particularly to improvements .in holders for phonograph recordsl of .the disk type.

Heretofore, it has been a general practice to provide record-holders in the: form of albums having a plurality of hinged and apertured envel'opes, each of which is adapted to hold an individual disk-type record.

The individu-al envelopes referred to are not only expensiveV as to materialsbut also as to the labor required for their hinged securement in an album or other holder.

One of the main ob-jectsof the present invention is. to provide a superior holder for disk-type records which may be produced at a low cost for manufacture.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a superior holder of the character referred to which. is-sulllciently strong to withstand rough usage in shipment, as well as being convenient for use..

A further object of the present invention is to provide a superior holder of the character referred to which will .securely hold a plurality of diskrecords in sucnmanner as not to injure their sound-recording faces and in such manner as to prevent their displacement in any radial direction.

Still another object` of .the present invention is .Y

to provide a superior record-holder of the character referred to which will securely hol'd a plurality of disk-.type records when desired, butv which will. readily release such. records for convenient removal from the holder.

With the above and other objects in view, as will appear to those skilled` in the art from the presentv disclosure, this invention includes all features i-n the said disclosure which are novel. over the prior art.

In the accompanying drawings, in which certain modes of carrying out the present inven-tion are shown for illustrative purposes:

Fig. 1 is an edge view lof a record-holder in the form or an album and .constructed in accordance with the present invention; I l

Fig. 2 is a face view thereof with .the front cover of the albumbroken away and with a plurality of record-s shown as clamped within the recordholding band;

Fig. 3 is a broken detail sectional View taken on the line 3 3 of Fig.. 2;

Fig. 4 is a similar view :taken on the line 4-4 f Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but showing the record-holding band' expanded to release the records; `and A Fig. 6 is a broken perspective view of th-e portions of the structure adjacent the operatinglever.

The particular record-holder chosen for illustration in the accompanying drawings for purposes of..making clear a preferred form. of the present invention, includes an album proper generally designated. by the reference character Il] and which comprises: a plate-like front cover III and a back cover I2. The said covers are respectively hinged at I3A and I4 to an end-spacer I5. The parts II, I2v and I5 may be conveniently formed Iof heavy cardboard and may be hinged together in a man-ner common in the art such, for instance, as byA suitably scoring or cutting the cardboard and covering the joints with flexible material such as cloth. Insome instances it has been found convenient: to employ sheet aluminum for the parts I I, I2 and I5.

Secured to` the inner face. of .the black cover IZor other suitable mounting-member inv amanner as will more fully hereinafter appear,v is a laterally expansible and contnactib'le record-holding band generally designated by the reference character I6 and which may be conveniently formed' of sheet steel, aluminum, brass, synthetic resin, or other flexible material.

At its edge, adjacent the back cover I2, the record-holding band. It is provided with -ve (more or les-s) circumierentially spaced and apertured ngers. Il', I8, IB, '20 and ZI located adjacent the inner face of the saidhack cover .I 2.

The respective terminal-ends 2'2 and 223 of the record-holding band t6 are preferably circumferentiallyseparated vto provide a ringer-clearance gap 24 for purposes as will hereinafter appear. ln the instance shown, the ilang-e-like lingers 20 and 2 I are respectively rigidly secured to the back cover l2 by fastening-means in the form of rivets 2.5 and 26 or .their equivalent extending through the said fingers and having their heads overlying the same. VThe flange-like ng-ers Il and I9 are respectively provided with slot-s 21 and 28 which serve to permit the adjacent portion of the band IB to be expanded and contracted in lateral directions toward and awayl from the peripheries of a plurality of disk-type records stacked in face-to-f'ace relationship and laterally encircled bythe said band, as is especially well shown in Fig. 2. f Y

Rigidly mounted in the back cover I2 and respectively extending Athrough the slots 2l and 28 of Vthe fingers Il' and IB are. rivet-like studs 3Q and. I3l having their heads respectively overlying the adjacent portions of the respective iingers il and I9.

Pivoted by means of a rivet 3.2 to the portion of .the finger Il 'immediately adjacent the terminal-end 22 of the band I6 isone end of a 'link 33 which is preferably curved as shown, to substantially conform to the curvature of the band t6 when the same is in its clamped position. The end of the link 332 opposite the rivet 32 is pivotally connected by means of a rivet 34 to an intermediate portion of an operating-lever 35 which isl also preferably cu'rvedgto substantially correspond to the curvature of the adjacent portion of the band I6 when the latter is contracted, as is indicated in Fig. 2.

One end of the operating-lever 35 is pivotall connected by means of a rivet 36 to the outwardly-extending finger I8 of the band i3 ata point immediately adjacent the terminal-end 23 of the said band. The end of the operatinglever 35 opposite the rivet 36, is bent upwardly or otherwise provided with a finger-piece 31 by means of which the said lever may be swung about the said rivet 36 as a center.

The upper or outer edge of the record-holding band IB is bent inwardly or otherwise provided with three (more or less) inwardly-projecting retaining-flanges or -abutments 38, 39 and 40, each of which is adapted to overlie the adjacent rim-portion oi the uppermost of the stack of disk records 29.

Preferably, the parts are'so proportioned that when the operating-lever 35 is swung into the position in which it is indicated in Figs. 1 `and 2, it will draw the record-holding band IS snugly around the peripheries of the stack of records 29 and will cause the rivet 34 to pass slightly inwardly beyonda line connecting the rivet 32 and the rivet 36, to thus locate the rivet 34 in a position past dead center. By this construction and arrangement of parts, the operating-lever 35 is automatically held in the position in which it is shown in Figs. 1 and 2, by any force tending to expand the band I6.

When the operating-lever 35 is swung by means of its linger-piece 31 from the position in which it is shown in Figs. l and 2 into the position in which it is shown in Fig 5, the fingerclearance gap 24 will be widened and the portions of the band intermediate the terminal-end 22 and finger 2l and intermediate the terminalend 23 and the finger 2B will be shifted laterally outwardly into substantially the positions shown in Fig. 5.

The respective end-portions of the band I6 will be guided in their lateral outward movement by the coaction of the studs 30 and 3l with the surfaces of the slots 21 and28, while at the same time the said studs will also maintain the band against edgewise movement away from the back cover I2 or its equivalent.

The record-holding band i6 willv be held in its expanded position by operating-lever 35 and the link 33, since the rivet 342 will have passed dead-center with respect to the rivets 32 and 36 when the parts reach the position in which they are shown in Fig. 5.

With the record-'holding band I6 expanding into the position in which it is shown in Fig. 5, the retaining nanges 38 and 39 will be moved outwardly clear of the periphery of the stack of records 29, whereupon the user may insert one of his iingers through the linger-clearance gap 24 and tilt up the adjacent portion of the topmost record 29, following which such record may be removed by drawing the same edgewise over the retaining-anges 38 and 39 and out from beneath the retaining-flange 40.

When it is desired to return the records such as 29 into the holder, the procedure above described for the removal may be reversed, following which the operating-lever 35 may be moved back into the position in which it is shown in Fig. 2 to thereby laterally contract the .rerdholding band I6 into the position in which it is shown in Fig. 2.

When the record-holding band i6 is clamped so to speak, around the'peripheries of the group of records installed in its interior, such records will be restrained against flatwise movement in all directions and will be retained against displacement away from the back cover l2 or its equivalent by means of the retaining-anges or -abutments 38, 39 and 4U. The holding of the records will'stand iirm against even rough handling of the record-album l0, all without injury to theY recording surfaces of said records.

The record-holding band I6 or its equivalent may be formed of spring metal and may, if desired, be pre-tensioned, so as to tend to expand toward the position in which it is indicated in Fig. 5.

The invention may be carried out in other specific ways than those herein set forth without departing from the spirit and essential characteristics of the invention, and the present embodiments are, therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, and all changes coming within the meaning and equivalency range of the appended claims are intended to be embraced therein.

I claim:

l. A holder for disk-type phonograph records, including in combination: a mounting-member; a laterally-expansible-and-contractible recordholding band of substantially-annular form shaped to substantially laterally enclose a plurality of disk records and having its Width extending substantially perpendicular with respect to thesaid mounting-member; connecting-means connecting the said record-holding band to the said mounting-member against displacement with respect thereto and constructed and arranged to permit the said band to expand and contract Yin a lateral direction; and manuallyoperable band-contracting means operatively connected to the said record-holding band and constructed and arranged to contract the same laterally vtoward the periphery of a plurality of disk records within the said band to restrain the said disk records against displacement with respect to the said mounting-member.

2. A holder for disk-type phonograph records, including in combination: a mountingmember; a laterally-expansible-and-contractible record-holding band of substantially-annular form having its ends spaced from each other to provide a finger-clearance gap and shaped to substantially laterally enclose a plurality of disk records and having its width extending substantially perpendicular with respect to the said mounting-member; connecting-means connecting the said record-holding band to the said mounting-member against displacement with respect thereto and constructed and arranged to permit the said band to expand and contract in a lateral direction; and manually-operable bandcontracting means operatively connected to the respective opposite end-portions of the said record-holding band to laterally contract the same toward the periphery of a plurality of disk records within the said band to restrain the said disk records against displacement with respect to the said mounting-member.

3. A holder for disk-type phonograph records, including in combination: a mounting-member; a laterally-expansible-and-contractible recordholding band of substantially-annular form shaped to substantially laterally enclose a plurality of disk records and having its width extending substantially perpendicular with respect to the said mounting-member; retaining-means carried by the said band and projecting inwardly therefrom in spaced relationship with respect to the said mounting-member in position to overlie disk records Within the said band; connectingmeans connecting the sai-d record-holding band to,

the said mounting-member against displacement with respect thereto and constructed and arranged to permit the said band to expand and contract in a lateral direction; and manuallyoperable band-contracting means operatively connected to the said record-holding band and constructed and arranged to laterally contract the same toward the periphery of a plurality of disk records Within the said band to restrain the said disk records against displacement with respect to the said mounting-member.

4. A holder for disk-type phonograph records, including in comb-ination: a mounting-member; a laterally-expansible-and-contractible recordholding band of substantially-annular form having its ends spaced from each other to provide anger-clearance gap and shaped to substantially laterally enclose a plurality of disk records and having its width extending substantially perpendicular with respect to the said mountingmember; retaining-means carried by the said band and projecting inwardly therefrom in spaced relationship with respect to the said mountingmember in position to overlie disk records within the said band; connecting-means connecting the said record-holding band to the said mountingmember against displacement with respect theref to and constructed and arranged to permit the said band to expand and contract in a substantially-radial direction; and manually-operable band-contracting means operatively connected to the respective opposite end-portions of the said record-holding band and constructed and arranged to contract the same in a substantiallyradial direction toward the periphery of a plu- Vrality of disk records within the said band to restrain the said disk records against displacement with respect to the said mounting-member.

5. A holder for disk-type phonograph records, including in, combination: a mounting-member; a laterally-expansible-and-contractible recordholding band of substantially-annular form f shaped to substantially laterally enclose a plurality of disk records and having its Width extending substantially perpendicular with respect to the said mounting-member; retaining-means carried by the said band and projecting inwardly therefrom in spaced relationship with respect to the said mounting-member in position to overlie disk records within the said band; connectingmeans connecting the said record-holding band to the said mounting-plate against displacement with respect thereto and including a plurality of circumferentially-spaced apertured ngers carried by the said band and projecting laterally therefrom adjacent the said mounting-member, and a plurality of fastening-members carried by the said mounting-member and respectively extending through the said ngers, certain of the said fastening-members adjacent the hereinaftermentioned band-contracting means loosely fitting the apertures in' the fingers through which they extend to permit the adjacent portions of the band to move laterally and others of the said fastening-members remote from the said band-con,- tracting means serving to relatively tightly hold the fingers through which they extend; and manually-operable band-contracting means operatively connected to the said record-holding band and constructed and arranged to laterally contract the same toward the periphery of a plurality of disk records within the said band to restrain the said disk records against displacement with respect to the said mounting-member.

6. A holder for disk-type phonograph records, includingv in combination: a mounting-member; a laterally-expansible-and-contractible recordho-lding band of substantially-annular form having its ends Aspaced from each other` to provide a finger-clearance gap and' shaped to substantially laterally enclose a plurality of' disk records and having its width extending substantially perpendicular with respect to the said mountingmember; retaining-means Vcarried by the said band and projecting inwardly therefrom in spaced relationship with respect to the said mounting-- member in position to overlie disk records within the said band; connecting-means connecting the said record-holding band tothe said mountingplate against displacement with respect thereto and including a plurality of circumferentiallyspaced apertured lingers carried by the said band and projecting laterally therefromv adjacent the said mounting-member, and a plurality of iastening-memb-ers carried by the said mountingmember and respectively extending through the said fingers, certain of the said fastening-members adjacent the hereinafter-mentioned bandcontracting means loosely fittingthe apertures in the fingers through which they extend topermit the adjacent portions of the band to move laterally and others of the saidv fastening-members remote from the said band-contracting means serving torelatively tightly hold the fingers through which they extend; and manually-operable band-contracting means operatively connected to the respective opposite end-portions of the said record-holding band and constructed and arranged to laterally contract the same toward the periphery of a plurality of disk records within the said' band to restrain the said disk records against displacement with respect to the said mounting-member. Y

7. A holder for disk-type phonograph records, including in combination: an album having a rst coverand' a second complemental cover; a lateral'ly'-expansible-and-contractible record-holding band of substantially-annular form shaped' to substantially laterally enclose aplurality of disk records and having its width extending substantially perpendicular with respect to the said covers when the same are closed;` connecting-means connecting the said record-holding band to the said lrst cover against displacement with respect thereto and' constructed and arranged to permit the said band to expand and contract in a lateral direction; and manually-operable band-contracting means operatively connected to the said record-holding band to laterally contract the same toward the periphery of a plurality of disk records within the said band torestrain the said disk records against displacement with respect tothe said first cover.

8. A holder for disk-type phonograph records, including in combination: an album having a iirst cover and a second complemental cover; a laterally-expansible-and-contractible recordholding band of substantially-annular form and having its ends spaced from each other to provide a finger-clearance gap and shaped to substantially laterally enclose a plurality of disk records and having its width extending substantially perpendicularly withrespect to the said covers when the same are closed; connectingmeans connecting the said 'record-holding band to the said rst cover against displacement with respect thereto and constructed and arranged to permit the said band to expand and contract in a lateral direction; and manually-operable bandcontracting means operatively connected to the respective opposite end-portions of the said record-holding band tolaterally contract the same toward the periphery of a plurality of disk records within the said band to restrain the said disk records against displacement with respect to the saidrst cover.

9. A holder for disk-type phonograph records, including in combination: an album having a .first cover and a second complemental cover; a laterally-expansible-and-contractible recordholding band of substantially-annular form shaped to substantially laterally'enclose a plurality of disk records and having its width extending substantially perpendicularly with respect to the said covers when the same are closed; retainingmeans carried by the said band and projecting inwardly therefrom in spaced relationship with respect to the said first cover in position to overlie disk records within the said band; connectingmeansconnecting the said record-holding band to the said rst cover against displacement with respect thereto and constructed and arranged to permit the said band to expand and contract in a lateral direction; and manually-operable band-contracting means operatively connected to the said record-holding band and constructed and arranged to laterally contract the same to- Ward the periphery of a plurality of records within the said band to restrain the said records against displacement with respect to the said first cover. 'v 10. A holder for disk-type phonograph records, including in combination: an album having a first cover and a second complemental cover; a laterally-expansible-and-contractible recordholding band of substantially-annular form having its ends spaced from each other to provide a linger-clearance gap and shaped to substantially laterally enclose a plurality of disk records and having its width extending substantially perpendicularly with respect to the said covers when the same are closed; retaining-means carried by the said band and projecting inwardly therefrom in spaced relationship with respect to the said rst cover in position to overlie disk records within the said band; connecting-means connecting the said record-holding band to the said first cover against displacement with respect thereto and constructed and arranged to permit the said band to expand and contract in a lateral direction; and manually-operable band-contracting means operatively connected to the respective opposite end-portions of the said record-holding band and constructed and arranged to laterally contract the same toward the periphery of a plurality of records within the said band to restrain the said records against displacement with respect to the said rst cover.

11. A holder for disk-type phonograph records, including in combination: an album having a first cover and a second complemental cover; a laterally-expansible-and-contractible record-holding band of substantially-annular form shaped to substantially laterallyenclose a plurality of disk records and having its Width extending substantially perpendicularly with respect to the said covers when the s-ame are closed; retaining-means carried by the said band and projecting inwardly therefrom in spaced relationship with respect to the said first cover in position to overlie disk records within the said band; connecting-means connecting the said record-holding band to the said rst cover against displacement with respect thereto and including a plurality of circumferentially-spa-ced apertured fingers carried by the said band and projecting laterally therefrom adjacent the said rst cover, and a plurality of fasteningmembers carried 'by the said rst cover and respectively extending through the said fingers, certain of the said fastening-members adjacent the hereinafter-mentioned band-contracting means Iloosely tting the apertures in the ngers through which they extend to permit the adjacent portions of the band to move laterally and others of the said fastening-members remote from the said band-contracting means serving to relatively tightly hold the fingers through which they extend; and manually-operable band-contracting means operatively 'connected to the said recordholding band and constructed and arranged to laterally contract the same toward the periphery of a plurality of records within the said band to restrain the said records against displacement with respect to the said first cover.

l2. A holder for disk-type phonograph records, including in combination: an album having arst cover and a second complemental cover; a laterally-expansible-and-contractible record-holding band of substantially-annular form having its ends spaced from each other to provide a fingerclearance gap and shaped to substantially laterally enclose a plurality of disk records and having its width extending substantially perpendicularly with respect to the said covers when the same are closed; retaining-means carried by the said band and projecting inwardly therefrom in spaced relationship with respect to the said rst cover in position to overlie disk records within the said band; connecting-means connecting the said record-holding band to the said rst cover against displacement with respect thereto and including a plurality of circumferentially-spaced apertured fingers carried by the said band and projecting laterally therefrom adjacent the said first cover, and a plurality of fastening-members carried by the said rst cover and respectively extending through the said fingers, certain of the said fastening-members adjacent the hereinafter-mentioned band-'contracting means loosely fitting the apertures in the iingers through which they extend to permit the adjacent portions of the band to move laterally and others of the said fasteningmembers remote from the said band-contracting means serving to relatively tightly hold the fingers through which they extend; and manually-operable band-contracting means operatively connected to the respective opposite end-portions ol the said record-holding band and constructed and arranged to laterally contract the same toward the periphery of a plurality of records within the said band to restrain the said records against displacement with respect to the said iirst cover.

WILSON DAYMON. 

